Donald Trump is a Big Believer in Education

One of the most coveted jobs in the world is the one that reports to Donald Trump. Many a college student makes that their post-grad goal, and it’s a lofty one to have. For 16 individuals, a new job with The Trump Organization is closer than ever, as they compete on the incredibly popular “The Apprentice” for its new season, which premieres in a 2-hour episode September 16.

This will be the first time since 2007 the show follows its original non-celebrity format. And as a reflection of how our society has changed in the past three years, this new season of Apprentice includes a cast that has been hit hardest by the economic downturn. They are qualified professionals who lost their jobs, and recent college grads looking to find their place in this big, bad business world.

“The energy and almost survival of some of these people is unbelievable,” says Trump of the new cast, remarking on their sad and inspiring stories.

The contestants will compete each week for an interview with top executives, including the CEO of Macy’s, Terry Lundgren, and Russell Simmons. When all is said and done, the winner will be employed by The Trump Organization with a $250,000 annual salary.

When the show began in 2004 Trump saw it as being very educational, offering a sneak peek inside the runnings of one of the country’s most successful companies. Trump says he is “a big believer in education,” and that “general education is too general.” His complaint is that the “well-rounded” individuals colleges are trying to churn out “don’t know enough about one thing [making] trade education very important.”

As a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance, Trump says he’s seen highly educated people become huge failures and those with low education become tremendous successes. He thinks college degrees are valuable, and that “more than anything else, I think it gives you confidence.”

For those pursuing college, Trump says it requires an innate talent and that for those who don’t recognize that in themselves they should do something else. He encourages students to earn marks and scores.

Have you watched Apprentice? What have you learned from the show that has helped in your college or professional career?

2 Responses to “Donald Trump is a Big Believer in Education”

Donald Trump is the world’s biggest narcissist. This is old news but check out TrumpNation by Timothy O’Brien (editor of NYT Business Section) he writes about how Trump’s real worth is in the range of $150-250 million and not the $4-6 billion he claims.